1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for preventing or retarding the growth of bacteria and fungi in materials such as, for example, industrial solutions, emulsions, dispersions and suspensions, which comprises treating such materials with antibacterially and antifungally effective N,N'-methylenebis(oxazolidines) or N,N'-methylenebis(tetrahydro-1,3-oxazines), and to novel N,N'-methylenebis(oxazolidines).
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,647,117 discloses bis(tetrahydro-1,3-oxazino)-methanes of the formula ##STR1## where R, R', R" and R'", inter alia, are hydrogen or alkyl. Specific compounds of the above formula which are disclosed are:
______________________________________ R R' R" R'" ______________________________________ CH.sub.3 (CH.sub.3).sub.3 CCH.sub.2 H H CH.sub.3 CH.sub.3 CH.sub.3 H (CH.sub.3).sub.2 CH (CH.sub.3).sub.2 CH H H ______________________________________
The sole utility disclosed for these compounds is that they have industrial application as emulsifiers.
Rec. trav. chim. 78, 320 (1959) discloses bis(tetrahydro-1,3-oxazin-3-yl)methane. No utility is disclosed for this compound.
Chem. Abstracts 58, 12750b (1963) and J. Org. Chem. 41 (10), 1768, 1771 and 1773 (1976) disclose N,N'-methylenebis(4,4-dimethyloxazolidine). No utility is disclosed for this compound. However, the J. Org. Chem. reference teaches that this compound displays some activity against lymphocytic leukemia.
The trishydroxyalkylhexahydrotriazines, e.g. trishydroxyethylhexahydrotriazine, are well known antimicrobial agents which are prepared by reacting, in a ratio of 1:1, an alkanolamine and formaldehyde, which reactants in a ratio of 1:1.5 yield N,N'-methylenebis(oxazolidines) and -(tetrahydro-1,3-oxazines).